Bangladesh president calls for using untapped potential in South Asia to achieve SDGs

President Md Abdul Hamid has urged the South Asian nations to cooperate closely within the region in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He made the call at the opening session of the Ninth South Asia Economic Summit at a Dhaka hotel on Saturday.

He said this region “is looking outward to benefit from the increasing global flows of capital and trade”.

“There is also unexploited potential for reaping benefits from intra-regional economic cooperation within South Asia.

"We firmly believe that close cooperation with South Asian neighbouring countries will help us in implementation of the SDG goals and targets," he added.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organised the opening session at Le Méridien hotel.

Its Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan chaired the session, which was also attended by Prime Minister's International Affairs Adviser Gowher Rizvi, Minister of Special Assignments of Sri Lanka Sarath Amunugama, Commerce Minister of Nepal Romi Gauchan Thakali, member of the National Assembly of Pakistan Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, Emeritus Professor of Economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University of India Deepak Nayyar and Executive Director of CPD Mustafizur Rahman.

At a panel discussion, held later on the first day of the two-day summit, Inter-Parliamentary Union President Saber Hossain Chowdhury, MP, emphasised joint efforts to achieve the SDGs, especially to develop communications and tackle the effects of climate change.

He called for policy reforms and change in mindsets of the related countries.

Pakistan’s Khan alleged India was not cooperating by imposing conditions for discussion while his country was ‘very much eager’ to hold talks.

Indian Mediascape Private Limited Chairperson Shekhar Gupta, a former editor-in-chief of the Indian Express, former commerce minister and BNP leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Afghanistan Finance Minister’s Adviser Nazir Kabiri, among others, were present.